A 26-year-old mother from Tijuana was arrested after officials found her 3-year-old daughter severely malnourished and starving to death, claiming the abuse was too severe to leave the child in her custody. The mother claims that she stopped feeding her daughter after her husband refused to give her money for food and other necessities. She claims he also refused to divorce her. The young girl was not only malnourished, but her body was also riddled with bruises. The woman also had two other children, ages 4 and 5. All three children were removed from the home and put into protective care.
According to the Daily Mail , the woman and her husband were already being monitored by the local center for protection and family. When social workers showed up for a visit, they were discouraged that the situation with the daughter had become so severe. As a result, the social workers contacted the local police and members of the Police Unit Against Domestic Violence. When the officers arrived on the scene, Guinerve Valentin was promptly arrested for her part in the child’s neglect. The decision was made to take all three of her children from her. A spokesperson for the police reassured that the young daughter is being cared for and is progressing in her health.
“The mother has been arrested. All three children have been taken into care. The baby girl was not in good health but she is now being looked after by social workers.”
Metro U.K. reported that Velentin refused to care for her daughter because she wanted to divorce her husband, but he would not agree to the separation. As a result, he stopped providing her with money, so she in turn began to starve their daughter.
‘I don’t care, I know she [her daughter] is dying.’
The names of the children have not been released due to their age. A graphic photo of the young girl was released, although her face was pixelated to protect her identity. Although she is recovering at this time, it is unknown if there will be any lingering health issues due to the extreme undernourishment.
There is no information regarding the father and if he was also arrested for playing a role in the undernourishment of the young girl. It is also unknown what charges Valentin is facing. Despite the status of the parents, all three children have been placed in much healthier environments.
[Photo Courtesy: Metro U.K. ]
